41 - Resolutions, Part 1 of 9
“Are you sure about this?” Scootaloo asked.
LD stood beside her, staring at the entrance to the prison impassively. His expression was difficult to read, but she assumed it was because he was nervous.
“He wasn’t exactly pleasant the last time I tried to talk to him.”
The stallion snorted, “The last time I saw him, he was covered in blood, trying to kill Duster.”
They stood a moment longer before LD finally nodded. They walked forward, submitting to the security procedures to verify their identities. The prison had a distinctive scent of old sweat that hung in the air. Though every cell was still overcrowded, the conditions seemed better than what Scootaloo had been told of changeling prisons where they locked up ponies.
It didn’t take them long before they arrived at the cell of which they were in search. There was far less fire in the prisoners than the last time she’d been here. It took Scootaloo a moment to notice him.
Ash Eater sat in the corner sleeping. But for the broken horn and missing leg, she might not have recognized him. Every time she had seen him in his true form, hatred had contorted his expression. The face he now wore was quite peaceful.
One of the other captives hissed, and within moments the others had roused from their bored slumber. Ash Eater’s face transformed when he saw them, becoming alight with rage directed at the pair. He stood on his three legs, stumbling for a moment and cursing under his breath. He regained his balance and approached the bars that divided their cell from the corridor.
“So, I guess we get to have a reunion,” he sighed. “I’m flattered. But where are the others? Were Sparklefly and Cloud Blazer unable make it?”
Though somewhat numbed to mention of Sparklefly, Scootaloo felt herself cringe at the mention of Cloud Blazer. That wound was still open.
LD answered simply, “Sparklefly is dead.”
Ash Eater grinned, “I was hoping I had done enough work ripping her throat out before you stopped me.”
The pegasus cocked his head to one side, “That wasn’t Sparklefly. She died in Apple Loosa.”
For once, it was surprise on the changeling’s face.
“The pony you attacked in Cloudsdale was her brother,” Scootaloo added. “He was wearing her eye patch as a disguise.”
“Other than drawing me out, what could you have possibly gained from that?” he sneered.
“It was my idea,” LD replied evenly. “And don’t flatter yourself. It had nothing to do with you. Sparklefly was popular among the civilians. We used her name to rally them to pull off that stunt.”
The changeling seethed.
LD continued, “You’ll probably be sorry to know that I was able to save him. The doctors say he’ll recover eventually, though there will be some permanent scarring.”
“Somehow, I doubt you’re here to talk about him.”
“No, we are not,” LD took a deep breath, “I had something I wanted to ask you.”
The changeling snorted and turned to Scootaloo, “Unlike some of your friends, I’ll never betray my people.”
Scootaloo felt her familiar anger threatening to return. In spite of the new course on which she had set herself, she still felt a need to settle that score, though it would accomplish little at this point. Ash Eater was a prisoner; he was already defeated. She decided to reply calmly.
“That’s not what he meant.”
Scootaloo laughed to herself as Ash Eater raised an eyebrow.
“You were at the mirror pond when I became… duplicated,” LD took a deep breath. “I know it was chaos down there, but I just had to find out if you knew what happened to me.”
“I’m not sure I know what you’re asking,” the changeling answered tersely.
“I mean the original me. The first Lightning Dasher that jumped into the mirror pond.”
Something sparked in the changeling’s eyes. If Scootaloo wasn’t mistaken, it was wonder.
“You mean you don’t know? You don’t know whether or not you are the original?”
LD shook his head, “No… I don’t.”
“How strange…”
Then the moment passed, and the hatred returned to the captive’s visage.
“Is that seriously all you came to ask about?”
“Honestly, yes,” LD answered with conviction. “I have been wondering about it ever since… Now there are two of me. The possibility is that one of us is the original.”
“Or neither of you are.”
LD sighed. Scootaloo remained silent. The stallion seemed comforted by her presence, but she didn’t want to agitate Ash Eater if it were possible.
“Yes, that is the heart of the matter. So, did you see what happened to the original? Do you know if he was killed in the opening moments of the battle?”
A sly grin formed on the changeling’s face, as if he were about to say something. Then it faded, and he seemed devoid of any kind of emotion, lost in thought for a moment before he answered.
“No. I didn’t see what happened to him. I had always assumed that whichever one was the original would have known. Though, I didn’t give it much thought.”
“That figures,” LD was clearly disappointed with the answer.
Ash Eater’s grin returned, “If it makes you feel any better, I’ll make your deaths quick when I get out of here, so it won’t matter whether you are a clone or the original.”
The other changelings in the cell became restless, emboldened by the bravado.
LD’s expression went from sad to stern as he turned to Scootaloo, “Let’s go.”
The pair turned to walk away.
“We will not endure defeat!” Ash Eater shouted after them.
Growling and hissing went up from the prisoners all around.
“The changeling empire will cover this land!”
Ash Eater continued shouting after them, but his voice was lost in the cacophony. The air felt suffocating as they marched toward the exit.
The sunlight and fresh breeze lifted Scootaloo’s spirits. She turned to her companion, whose face betrayed the conflicted emotions he was feeling.
“Hey,” she captured his attention. “It’s okay.”
He sighed heavily, “Why does everypony keep saying that? Do you have any idea what it is like to have another you walking around? Another you that knows everything, your secrets, your fears, who could replace you in front of your family and friends, and nopony would even know the difference?”
The ramifications became more fully understandable to the mare, but she couldn’t let him wallow in despair for something over which he had no control.
“LD, weird as it is, I like you better than Lightning Dasher.”
He scrunched his nose at her, “That’s ridiculous.”
She shrugged, “Look, I don’t know if either of you is the original, but it doesn’t matter. You are you. Yeah, you share a common past, but… it’s…”
Scootaloo felt as though she were grasping at straws. Her recent advice from Apple Bloom came to mind. Though it hadn’t worked out well for her, it had been the correct course of action. Perhaps it was that fear of the unknown that was bothering the stallion.
“Here’s what you need to do,” she regrouped and began again. “You are LD. You and Lightning Dasher came from Lightning Dasher. Okay? As soon as you can, you need to find him, and both of you need to go home to your parents.”
“What if they’re not my parents?”
“Do I have to smack you upside the head?”
He stared back in disbelief.
“Because if you want to settle this the old fashioned way, bring it on.”
He rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed and uninterested in such a contest.
“You are afraid of rejection. That’s all there is to it. I’d be scared too. But the thing is, LD, you are letting this cripple you. You have to go home, tell everypony what happened and let the chips fall where they may.”
“And… if they do push me away?”
The mare took a deep breath, “Then you walk away. Leave them a way to contact you and never look back. Make new friends, live your life.”
It seemed as though his eyes were clouded with sorrow.
“Look, LD, you can’t let this be the thing that defines you. Yeah it happened, but you saved countless lives because of what you did. Don’t you get that? We would have lost the battle at the mirror pool and never made it back to town. Ponyville would have been destroyed that night, and nopony in all Equestria would have known that the changelings were even involved. I think a little identity crisis is a small price to pay for saving the world.”
He tilted his head at her, “You know… I hadn’t really ever thought of it that way. How come I didn’t get a fancy title?”
“You and me both!” she snorted back at him. “Your past is just that. If you cling to that to define you… you’re missing out on something far more precious.”
“Don’t say my future; that’d be ridiculously cliche,” he answered flatly.
The mare stopped short and felt her face flush, “You know what? Wallow in your self pity!”
She reached for his shoulder and shoved him. A grin formed on the stallion’s face as he bounded away. He laughed, almost playfully as he crouched into a more stable stance. She eyed him for a moment before a jovial spirit overtook her.
“I’m going to get you!” she roared, rearing back on her hind legs and charging forward.
He darted away, and the mare thundered after him, hardly noticing the fading pain in her hind leg.
This was originally a 3 part arc... but then I got inspired because it felt way too short to fit with everything else that's going on. So, BOOM! It is now a 9 part arc. 
There will be an epilogue, but this is effectively the last chapter of the body of the story. 
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The last chapter before the epilogue!!!! You can’t do that, the story is only *looks at word count* 456k words long. That’s nowhere near long enough. Ok, I mean it’s pretty long. But that’s only like a bit longer than Harry Potter and the order of the phenoix, and the deathly hallows combined!!!!
8791274
How is it you managed to make me feel like an underachiever with that statement?
If I keep going.... more ponies have to die... I thought maybe they had suffered enough?
On the bright side, I have ideas for several more stories already in my brain. I expect one of them will take center stage when this one is finally completed.
The curious case of the clones of Lightning Dasher will forever be a mystery!
But we do know that this LD is LD7, so the Lightning Dasher that went home is the only possible Lightning Dasher Prime.
8791283
No more have to die if the war ends right.
Also, more stories
8791378
I thought the Lightning Dasher that went home was number 7... I though LD didn’t get a number because had had a nickname that Sparklefly gave him (and was recognizable by the scar on his face)
I’d have to look it up... I honestly can’t remember! You know how it is... all those Lightning Dashers look alike, so...
And yes... I’ll never tell!
Achievement: clone zone (LD)
Achievement: delusional dumbass (ash eater)
Achievement: light at the end of the tunnel (story almost over)
Achievement: moving on (scootaloo)
Achievement: I will survive (duster)
8791698
Haha! Nice ones!
Although... I guess I could wind it up for one more arc with Ash Eater escaping from prison and executing their final plan... Zero Sum Game... destiny all food and supplies so everyone will starve together in the winter!
Just kidding.
Couldn't he just make himself a new leg.
Changelings can make nothing into something, if they could not why aren't changelings disguised as ponies swiss cheese
You and what army
Yeah LD stop being Autistic
That is the fandoms job.
8791794
The changelings disguise magic is just illusion, besides his horn is broken and its been described that he can no longer use magic, so even if changelings could make something from nothing he still wouldn't be able to make a new leg for himself unless he made the same kind of prosthetic limb as any pony else out of wood, metal or some other material, but considering how dangerous ash eater is I doubt they'd let him have one
8791794
1) if his horn were not broken, ending his ability to shape shift and use magic, and if all of the changelings were not having their magic suppressed by the unicorn guards, then yes.
2) Ah, he’s just posturing before his foe. You know how it is. Mess with their mind when you cannot get at the body.
3) You think LD’s acting autistic?
8791848
Have a cookie. 🍪
Excellent answer!
8791848
Oh okay
8791892
I don't actually think that, it was just a bad joke.
8792430
I gotcha. Allow me to use one of my own... overused phrases...
It's a small matter.
Ash Eater's lack of knowledge about what it would be like to use the Mirror Pool makes me think that the changelings never used the Mirror Pool themselves. Which would be a good thing, because otherwise Equestria would definitely be under the control of the changelings by now. Well, hopefully LD gets his closure. He only has one other duplicate anyways, so him and Lightning Dasher can essentially pass for twins if they truly attempted to adapt.
8803665
I nearly killed off all but one of the Lightning Dashers in the first draft... I'm so glad I didn't. It turned out to be an interesting dynamic to explore as the story progressed. I think LD is my favorite of the minor characters.
Also, yeah, it was my thought that the changelings didn't want to risk that loss of identity (is that ironic since shape shifting is their thing?), so that is why they used the timberwolves to do the replication and main fighting initially. I like to think of the changelings as intelligent, cunning, and not evil. They probably come across as evil, but... I more think of them as just being a different nation with their own goals and agendas. I like that better than generic evil megalomaniac villain of the week. (but sometimes those are fun too.)